PORTLAND, OREGON - In response to today's interest in the Unimog, Freightliner LLC would like to clarify its strategy for selling and marketing the Unimog multi-purpose vocational truck in North America.

The Unimog is targeted at a variety of vocational markets, from utilities and municipal services to fire and rescue services. Built by Mercedes-Benz for more than fifty years, the Unimog is a highly specialized vehicle suited for plowing snow, fighting fires, agricultural applications or other tasks performed by commercial vehicles.

The Unimog is not intended to compete in the mass sport-utility vehicle markets. It is a Class 6 commercial truck intended for service applications where terrain or weather require a high-mobility vehicle.

Unimog will meet all U.S. laws for emissions, size, weight and other commercial vehicle requirements and is designed for safe performance and environmental compliance.

Freightliner LLC will sell and market the Unimog under its Freightliner Trucks (commercial trucks) and American LaFrance (fire trucks) brands. Unimogs will be built in Gaggenau, Germany and imported to the U.S. Production begins in early 2002.

Freightliner LLC expects to sell about 300 Unimogs in the U.S. in 2002.

Freightliner LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is the leading heavy truck manufacturer in North America. Freightliner produces and markets Class 3-8 vehicles under the Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star, American LaFrance, Orion and Thomas Built Buses nameplates. Freightliner is a DaimlerChrysler company, the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer.